Thanks for the suggestions everybody! You guys bring up some interesting points. Especially the facts about pass-throughs versus the bullet staying in the deer. When I was a kid I shot 3 deer with a 3030 and the bullets would always pass through (on a broadside shot) and the deer would always seem to run quite a ways even when shot in the vitals.....a lung shot for instance. I then started using a 25.06rem with 100 grain bullets and proceeded to drop deer almost on the spot as the bullets stayed in them but of course they didn't leave a blood trail. One dropped on the spot with a lung shot that weighed 169lbs field dressed. The devastation in the heart lung area from the 100 grain bullet was incredible and that is what has started me on this theory. I've only shot 2 deer with the 25.06 so I can hardly state it as a proven fact though and I certainly understand the need for a blood trail. As far as the .44 I have only shot 2 deer and the first deer was running and I was ….how do I say it……not very accurate. I hit the deer 4 times. I couldn’t really make a good judgement with the 180 grain bullet performance on that deer. I also lung shot a buck at just over 50 yds broadside with a 158 grain hollow point out of a .357 and it only went 10 yds before it dropped. Again, the bullet didn’t exit. I do know that the .357 is a bit light for deer and I bought the .44 the following year. I do think based on your suggestions I’m going to move up to at least a 200 to 210 grain solid point Federals. Unfortuantely I’m not able to reload. It’s a topic I been wanting to ask for quite a while and again I appreciate everyones input.